Audio Renderer Weighting by Perceived Position

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing audio processing systems do not effectively account for the desired perceived location of sound when selecting renderers, which can limit the quality of the listening experience.

Innovation Solution

A method of audio processing that uses the desired perceived position of an audio object to control two or more renderers, selecting them based on position information and assigning weights to combine their outputs to generate loudspeaker signals.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If multiple renderers are used to render audio objects, then the audio rendering quality is improved, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaudio rendering qualityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically selects and weights multiple renderers based on the desired perceived position of audio objects. Different renderer types (e.g., image-based, wave-field synthesis, beamforming) are activated and weighted according to the spatial location requirements, allowing the system to adapt its complexity to the specific rendering needs rather than always using all renderers at full capacity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the operational parameters of renderers by adjusting weight coefficients for different renderer types based on the perceived position parameters of audio objects. This allows optimal renderer selection and weighting for different spatial locations, improving rendering quality while managing system complexity through parameter optimization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If renderer selection is based on desired perceived position, then the listening experience is improved, but the processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelistening experience qualityVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies different renderer types and weighting strategies to different spatial regions. Specific renderer combinations are selected based on the local perceived position requirements of audio objects, allowing optimized processing for each spatial zone rather than using a uniform approach throughout the entire audio field

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-establishes renderer selection rules and weight coefficient sets for different perceived position regions. This preliminary configuration allows the system to quickly select appropriate renderers based on position information without performing complex real-time optimization calculations, reducing processing complexity while maintaining quality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4236378B1Rendering audio objects with multiple types of renderers
Publication Date: 2025.02.12 DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORP
  • EP4236378B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4236378B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4236378B1 patent drawingFigure 5A~6A

AI summary

An apparatus and method of rendering audio objects with multiple types of renderers. The weighting between the selected renderers depends upon the position information in each audio object. As each type of renderer has a different output coverage, the combination of their weighted outputs results in the audio being perceived at the position according to the position information.